“My experience with the recent Yoga and Art Day Retreat was memorable. The instructors were phenomenal in combining the embodying practice of yoga with the earthiness of painting from our inner selves. It was transformative and I will never view yoga or painting in the same way. I highly recommend the retreat and these intuitive and engaging instructors.”

- Kayden McInnis

26 years ago, I was pregnant with my son and my first child. A friend who would later become a godparent to our daughter, who would arrive two years later, announced that she had melanoma. This frightened her, and what would later be the beginning of a series of challenges she would face, she somehow continued to be strong with a clear intention of her desire. She still had plans.

Did you know … when your hands get activated by physical touch, endorphins and serotonin (pleasure chemicals) get released in your brain, and levels of cortisol (stress hormone) decrease. So, as you work with your hands, you provide activities to stimulate the brain by increasing pleasure while decreasing stress.

Two weeks ago, a Yoga for Wellness reader who enjoyed June 20th’s blog on “Midwestern Sensibilities” and the varied geographic cultural influences, wrote back to me commenting that I should write about varied yoga cultural influences as well.This got me thinking about the studio that I belong to: Mosaic Yoga

My family and I have just returned from two back-to-back family reunion events. Although these events celebrated my heart, my garden beds appear to have celebrated in their own way! (A weed party) There were sections where I struggled to discover which plants were the vegetables and which ones were the weeds. Granted, I anticipated this, but observing how rapid weeds grow, this never ceases to amaze me.

“Porch Time

is never wasted time

It’s taking the time to commune with nature and your loved ones.

It’s listening to my daughter play air guitar to Little Feat on volume 11 at midnight with her Aunt and Dad.”

-Amy Conn

I’m sitting on my porch for a spell in between two very busy times in my life. Taking a moment to observe the stillness I am suddenly reminded of the busyness that surrounds me.

Much like this song “ Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley - I am reminded of the simplicity and amazement of nature. You see, residing within a homemade birdhouse that my children made a dozen years ago at their middle school, live a small family of birds with very busy parents.

Writers and Riders Have A Lot in Common

Natalie Juteau

September 14, 2014 I realized yesterday that writing books and riding horses have a lot in common. Both can be a bit scary. There have been times when my hands shake and my heart races right before I get on a horse that intimidates me. There have been lessons where I’ve had to give my students a pep talk and then coax them into the saddle.

Why do Yoga and Art go together … NATURALLY

There is not much difference between art and yoga. Art is transforming a plain white paper or canvas or cloth into an amazingly beautiful portrait while yoga is a transformation of a human who functions to someone who can move beyond their habitual way in the form they think, breath, move, and talk.